It’s Spina Bifida Awareness Month, the perfect time to spotlight two young athletes who haven’t let their diagnoses hold them back: Meet Liam, 12, and Mohammad, 14.
Born in Syria, Mohammad immigrated to the United States with his family and began receiving treatment at Shriners Children’s Northern California. The Sacramento resident developed a passion for basketball, playing in the wheelchair he uses for mobility and quickly becoming a star on his school’s team — his talent and positive attitude even earned him a spot as assistant coach.
Mohammad
“I love coaching,” Mohammad told Nice News. “I know I can help keep the team motivated and inspired. I think the team looks to me for ongoing support and I know I can do that for them.”
Liam, who lives in St. Louis, Missouri, is similarly defying the odds, mastering basketball and jiujitsu in his wheelchair and regularly tearing it up on the dance floor (this video of his moves is a must-watch). His advice for other kids facing obstacles? “Do what’s hard and never stop trying new things. You might have to do it a little differently than someone else, but it’s really fun to try a bunch of new activities,” he said, adding: “If you do things that seem hard, it will feel even better when you accomplish them.”
Mohammad — whose basketball team created a special play for him called the “Mohammad Shield,” which involves his teammates forming a square around him on the court while he drives to the basket and shoots — expressed a similar sentiment.
“The most important thing to remember is not to give up,” he said. “Keep going. Life is full of setbacks, no matter who you are or where you’re from. But keep your head up and keep going. It’s important to be persistent. For other kids living with disabilities, remember that things may need some adjustments and look a little different, but you can do anything that any other kid can do. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and try. Be confident and don’t be afraid to share who you are with others. Because you can inspire and motivate so many other people.”
The “Mohammad Shield”
It’s clear that for both Liam and Mohammad, their parents’ support and unwavering belief in their capabilities has played a large role in the adolescents’ achievements.
“We were told very early on, ‘Liam will only know what he’s not supposed to do if you tell him,’” explained Liam’s dad, Rob. “So we never told him he wasn’t able to do an activity he wanted to try.”
Liam
“What makes us most proud is not the particular activity or the individual accomplishments, but watching him push himself past where he thinks his limits are and find that the limit is actually much further than he realized,” he continued.
For Mohammad’s father, Bassam, his son is the embodiment of what dedication and a positive attitude can accomplish.
“People should not underestimate people with physical limitations,” he said. “My son is living proof of this. My son can do anything he puts his mind to.”
Mohammad and his father
And Mohammad plans to put his mind to some big endeavors in the future. “My favorite basketball player is De’Aaron Fox on the Sacramento Kings,” he shared. “I hope to be the Sacramento Kings head coach someday, or assistant coach. Helping to coach this year made me realize this is possible for me.”
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